Another Step Forward
by Lucky-9-Rose
Summary: Strength of Friendship Sequel- They were deeply devoted to each other and cared about the other so much, it sometimes hurt. Meta Knight knew this would lead to the next step in love; one in which made him nervous more than anything.


Author's Notes: Yep, I decided to continue Strengthening Hearts since it was a success! To all readers, thank you for taking the time to read my story. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers, the characters or anything related.

**Scars:**

**December 26th**

The next morning began with peaceful silence throughout the entire Smash Mansion. The Christmas party had exhausted all the Smashers. Almost everybody was sleeping in and were not about to wake up soon. There was, of course, the exception with two certain Smashers.

Jigglypuff was one of the Smashers who were up early. She was pacing around her room, deep in thought. Meta Knight was standing on the windowsill, also happening to be another who was not sleeping in. Thoughts of last night were still on their minds.

"_What did happen with that video camera?"_ Meta Knight thought, wrapping his cape around himself. While he and Jigglypuff were dragging Ike down the hallway, the camera had simply been left there on the ground. When they had came back to find it, it was no where to be found. Meta Knight hoped it didn't fall into the wrong hands. He could name a few would use the video for blackmailing opportunities or anything of the like. It was fortunate that he didn't take off his mask when the camera was focused on them. Ike had given himself away before that happened.

Meta Knight was always nervous when others saw his face, but it was worse for him now. When he and Jigglypuff had gone to their bedroom last night, he slept without his mask for the first time. When he still recovering from his injury in the hospital room, he had still insisted to keep it on. Meta Knight had seen his reflection afterwards and was startled by it. When he had been stabbed in the Great Maze, it had left a scar on his left cheek. However, he never worried about what Jigglypuff would think. He trusted her so much that it didn't really matter whether she saw his face or not. It had been at first before their first kiss, but a lot had happened since then.

"It really disturbs me Meta Knight," Jigglypuff said seriously. "What if someone like Dedede got a hold of that camera?"

"If Dedede has the camera, we will know soon enough. Sooner or later, we will know where it is," Meta Knight replied.

"You're right." Jigglypuff turned to him. She noticed by his body language that something else was bothering him. "Meta Knight?"

"Yes?"

"I think that something else is on your mind other than the camera," she responded, concern showing in her eyes.

"You would be right," Meta Knight said in response. Over the last couple months, Jigglypuff was able to tell how he was feeling, even when he had his mask on. She knew whenever he felt down and needed comfort or when he wished to be left alone. In return, he always did the same for her. Usually Meta Knight would dismiss his worries as though they were nothing but after falling in love, he was always open with her.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Jigglypuff said, seeing him hesitate to speak.

Meta Knight put a hand on her shoulder. "I will." He motioned for her to sit beside him on his bed. She did so immediately and waited patiently for him to speak. He turned towards her, looking into her eyes. "I have caused you lots of worry over the last few months."

Jigglypuff blinked, confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"When you were upset after I had been stabbed in the Great Maze, I never felt sadder in my life. Very recently, that experience has been on my mind; therefore causing me to feel nothing but sadness."

At that moment, Jigglypuff wrapped her arms around him, embracing him in a tender and loving hug. The sorrow Meta Knight had been enduring was replaced by the warm, fuzzy feeling, causing his face to turn red. As he hugged her in return, he smiled behind his mask. "Thank you Jigglypuff," he whispered softly. She was always able to put a smile on his face.

--

After breakfast, Meta Knight and Jigglypuff, along with the other Smashers, were in the Smash Mansion computer lab spending free time playing on the computers. Many Smashers were on MSN and sending each other messages. Some were on the Super Smash Brother's Home page, viewing the latest updates. One happened to be a video.

It wasn't long before Meta Knight and Jigglypuff heard laughter filling the once-rarely-quiet room. They both looked up from their computer screen and turned to see what the cause was. What could have been so funny?

The funny thing happened to be the said video updated on to the Smash Brothers Home page obviously. Both loaded the same video everyone thought was funny on their computer. Their eyes widened when they realized it was the same video that Ike recorded the night before when they had been under the mistletoe.

"Who updated this video!?" Jigglypuff said angrily, causing every Smasher to fall silent in shock. Quickly, the laughter died down until not one sound could be heard. It wasn't often when she shouted like that.

"None of us did," a few protested.

Meta Knight noticed that Marth was now acting more distant than usual. That was definitely suspicious…He stood up from his chair and walked over to the table where Marth was sitting at. "Marth, do you know something about this?"

Marth looked up from the ground and sighed. "I'm sorry Meta Knight. This whole mess was my fault."

Jigglypuff, who had heard that last comment, was now interested and joined in the conversation. "What do you mean by that Marth? If you didn't update it, then why are you taking the blame?"

"It was my fault another Smasher uploaded the video online. I know who posted it."

"You know who updated that video?" Jigglypuff asked, surprised.

Marth nodded, making eye contact with her. "It was Dedede. He bought the video camera from me last night. When I was getting ready for bed, I heard someone knock on my door. I answered it and saw that Dedede was there and asked what he wanted. He told me he heard from an informed source that I had a video camera. I said that was true and why was he asking me this. Dedede said he would pay me so much money; I wouldn't  
be able to count or fit it in a suitcase if I gave him the camera. I had instantly agreed. Then-"

Jigglypuff's eyes went wide. "Hold on a minute! Dedede told you  
what?"

"He said he would give me so much money, I wouldn't be able to  
count or fit it in a suitcase." Marth replied.

A glare spread across Jigglypuff's face. "Oh that little...!"

"What's wrong?" Meta Knight asked, concerned.

"Dedede gave Marth counterfeit money. That's what he meant by count or fit!"

Marth stood up, outraged. "By my tiara, I have been ripped off! If I ever see Dedede again…!"

"Why don't you tell the Master Hand? I'm sure he'll know what to do," Jigglypuff suggested.

"Very well; I shall do so at once!" With that, Marth left the room.

Jigglypuff sat down on a nearby chair, sighing. "I hope Marth does the right thing. Maybe the Master Hand will remove the video."

"I hope so too," Meta Knight replied.

--

January 19th

That night, Jigglypuff and Meta Knight decided to spend special time together. They both agreed on watching a movie on their television in their room. Not only could they be alone together, but they would feel more comfortable.

Both Meta Knight and Jigglypuff were sitting on the couch, holding hands, in front of the television, which was currently playing commercials such as OxyClean Stain Remover. The door was locked, done courteously by Jigglypuff so no one could interrupt their privacy. Meta Knight had taken his mask off, knowing it was safe. He did enjoy these moments when he didn't have to wear the mask on his face.

Meta Knight and Jigglypuff both enjoyed the romance movie, though the ending was sad.

"That was quite a movie, wasn't it Meta Knight?" Jigglypuff asked, eyes shining with happiness.

"Yes Jigglypuff. I really enjoyed it."

Meta Knight and Jigglypuff leaned closer to each other and romantically kissed, arms wrapped around one another.

"Good night Meta Knight," Jigglypuff said softly, putting a hand on his cheek, causing his face to turn scarlet.

"Good night Jigglypuff," he said in reply. "Sleep well."

--

January 20th

Meta Knight stood up from his seat at the cafeteria, done with his lunch. He was wondering what he should do that afternoon. Jigglypuff was busy spending time playing games with a few other Smashers, leaving him to his own activities.

The romance movie he saw last night made him realize how important his relationship with Jigglypuff was. They were deeply devoted to each other and cared about the other so much, it sometimes hurt. Meta Knight knew this would lead to the next step in love; one in which made him nervous more than anything…

Marriage.

The thought alone was enough for his stomach to feel strange, his heart rate to increase and to sometimes cause him to tremble whenever he thought of him being in such a situation. Not only that, Meta Knight knew the other Smashers would be there when it happened…well…if it ever did happen. Meta Knight did want to be married to her one day, but the process sometimes made him skeptical and extremely nervous. Despite that, he was going to propose to her eventually. The only way he could do that was if he got her an engagement wristband, which could be found in the local stores.

Since Jigglypuff was busy, Meta Knight thought he might as well obtain an engagement wristband for her. He would have to be sure no one knew what he was doing, especially Jigglypuff until the time was right. Luckily for him, the halls were vacant that afternoon. He went over to the bank machine after taking one last glance at the doors. After inserting his card into the slot, Meta Knight withdrawed some money from his account. With that hidden under his cape, he walked out the doors of the Smash Mansion and headed for the local stores on the right.

The first store had the engagement wristbands so Meta Knight decided to look there first.

To his shock, he saw that Snake was there. What could he possibly be doing there? Meta Knight pretended to browse, hoping he wouldn't be seen. Luckily, Snake left a minute earlier. On the contrary, as Snake left, his eyebrows were raised in amusement as he glanced towards Meta Knight.

The store owner looked up from the checkout counter, now noticing Meta Knight. "What can I do for you?" She asked.

Meta Knight walked over to the counter, wrapping his cape around himself tighter to his circular body from the sudden feelings of doubt he had. He hesitated for a moment, debating in his mind whether he should tell the store owner what he wanted or not.

"_Do it for Jigglypuff."_

At that thought, Meta Knight made up his mind. He looked up at the store owner. "I am here for an engagement wristband."

The store owner was surprised at that. She never expected Meta Knight to propose to anyone. "Who do you wish to give that wristband to?"

Meta Knight surprised himself by answering honestly. "It is for Jigglypuff."

"Do you mean the same Jigglypuff living in the Smash Mansion as one of the Smashers?" the store owner asked.

Meta Knight nodded in response.

"In that case," the store owner said, picking up an engagement wristband. "This one may be the best choice. What do you think of this one?"

A while later, Meta Knight came in the Smash Mansion, his gift bag hidden in the depths of his cape which was hardly noticeable. He headed towards his bedroom to hide the present in his dresser.

"Poyo, poyo!" came a familiar voice Meta Knight knew so well. ("Where were you Meta Knight? I couldn't find you anywhere!")

"I was having a walk; nothing more or less," Meta Knight simply said in reply.

Kirby looked unconvinced. "Poyo!" ("That's a lie. You're hiding something."

Meta Knight was taken aback. As he took a step backwards, the gift bag fell out of his cape and on the floor beside Kirby, who picked it up and took a look inside. At that point, Meta Knight tensed up and waited for Kirby's reaction.

Kirby smiled. "Poyo, poyo." ("You plan to propose to her don't you?")

Meta Knight admitted it, though uncomfortable. "Yes."

Kirby handed the bag to Meta Knight. "Poyo, poyo!" ("You can do it. Be sure to be ready when you do.")

--

Jigglypuff went to the bedroom that night, finally able to spend her time freely. She was held up by watching movies and going shopping with the other girls who convinced her to come along. Jigglypuff wanted to spend the evening on a date with Meta Knight, but was not sure if she was brave enough to ask him.

"_How hard can it be? We already confessed our love to each other…"_

Jigglypuff opened the bedroom door and entered the room. Meta Knight turned around from gazing up at the starry sky which soon shifted to Jigglypuff.

"Good evening Jigglypuff," Meta Knight said to her.

Jigglypuff smiled at him. "Good evening Meta Knight! Sorry for being gone all afternoon. The girls were so keen on me accompanying them today."

"It is all right. I don't mind," Meta Knight assured her, smiling behind his mask.

Jigglypuff blushed, now deciding to ask. "Uh…Meta Knight?"

"Yes Jigglypuff?"

"I was just wondering if, um, did you want to go on a date with me?"

In response to that, Meta Knight jumped down from the windowsill, letting go off his cape which had previously been wrapped around himself. One of his gloved hands was now tenderly holding one of Jigglypuff's. "I would gladly like to go on a date with you. What do you plan to do tonight?"

The date was a special dinner ordered in the cafeteria. Since this was a special dinner arranged so it was only them alone, Jigglypuff convinced Meta Knight to take off his mask to eat. He was somewhat uneasy at first, but soon become used to it.

The waiter came along after they were finished eating and took out the dishes. In the tables place was now a large strawberry and banana milkshake with two straws that Meta Knight and Jigglypuff could take with them to the roof, where they agreed to spend the rest of the time. That way they could have another special moment; it would be especially enjoyable under the stars.

Meta Knight felt a bit insecure at first drinking from the same milkshake as Jigglypuff, but soon relaxed and enjoyed it, the warm feeling finding its way into his heart again. Meta Knight wrapped his cape around Jigglypuff as they finished the dessert. Jigglypuff snuggled closer to him, keeping warm from the cool January air. Afterwards, Meta Knight held her close to him and embraced her in a hug.

As he let go of Jigglypuff, she took his mask off. Meta Knight didn't mind, seeing as they were alone. He kissed her on the lips, cheeks slightly red. Jigglypuff's lips made gentle contact with his passionately. They both never wanted the moment to end as they shared another romantic moment under the shining stars of the deep blue sky.

Jigglypuff was so exhausted by the time they had to go to bed; Meta Knight carried her all the way to the bedroom. He gently put her on her bed and pulled the blankets over her. She smiled as she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

--

January 21st

Meta Knight went downstairs to have breakfast early in the cafeteria before the place became as chaotic as usual when everyone else was awake. He wanted to eat in peaceful silence to help organize his thoughts. Part of him wanted to propose to Jigglypuff, while the other part wished for him to wait for a while. A sigh escaped him.

Marth was the only other one in the cafeteria. He, apparently, wished for silence in the morning as well. Looking up from the table, he saw that something was troubling Meta Knight. "What's wrong Meta Knight?"

Meta Knight glanced over at Marth wearily. "I am having doubts about proposing to Jigglypuff. I do not know what to do." The realization of what he said dawned upon him and he felt awkward. He remembered Marth didn't know about him wanting to propose. How would he react?

To his surprise, Marth didn't look shocked at all. "I can understand how hard that must be. I'm going through the same thing. I mean, I've been hoping to propose to Zelda for a while, but…I…just couldn't…" Marth trailed off at the end of the sentence.

Meta Knight looked confused. "You already knew I was planning on proposing to Jigglypuff?"

Marth nodded. "Yes, but on accident. I heard Snake say something about that when he came back from the stores yesterday. Perhaps he happened to see you."

Meta Knight felt slightly annoyed and angry at Snake. So much for keeping his intentions private. He felt more doubtful than ever at that moment. Meta Knight looked down at the ground. "I'm not ready to propose yet. For now, I will be patient and wait."

Marth nodded. "That's what I will do too. I'm not ready either."

--

Jigglypuff could barely eat lunch that afternoon. All she could think about was how the bond between her and Meta Knight was getting stronger. She knew once two fell in love, they would cherish each other's company and share romantic moments. After, the two would propose and become engaged for marriage. She couldn't picture that happening between and Meta Knight. It seemed so impossible. Jigglypuff decided to think about something else before her stomach felt sick from worry.

She knew it was hopeless and took her dishes to the dishwasher, neglecting the rest of her meal. Jigglypuff was going to go the store and buy an engagement wristband. She withdrew money from her Smash Brothers account from the bank in the main room and put it in her wallet which was hidden under her shawl she wore to protect herself from the cold weather.

Jigglypuff left the Smash Mansion and turned right to the local stores. She entered the first store, which sold the engagement wristbands. Slowly, she opened the glass door.

The store owner looked up from the counter. "Hello, how can I help you?"

Jigglypuff nervously bit her lip for a second. "_Do it for Meta Knight,"_ she thought. She looked up at the store owner. "I need an engagement wristband please."

The store owner's face lit up. "Would your name happen to be Jigglypuff?"

Surprise spread across Jigglypuff's face. "Yes, it is. How did you know?"

The store owner smiled. "I heard about you from one of my customers that came here yesterday. He was also looking for an engagement wristband."

"Who was that customer?" Jigglypuff asked eyes wide from excitement and suspense.

"…I don't know. I never knew his name…" the store owner said, now briskly changing the subject. "Anyway, what kind of wristband are you looking for?"

Jigglypuff looked confused at the sudden change of subject, but didn't say anything about it. "…Could I get that one?" She asked, after searching through the shelves of wristbands.

The store owner smiled at the blue wristband decorated with small white stars. _"She made the perfect choice," _she thought. She looked at Jigglypuff. "Yes, that will do. I'm sure your boyfriend will like it."

--

February 27th

Meta Knight and Jigglypuff had been dating for the five weeks or so. Both had their engagement wristbands hidden in their dresser, not knowing the other had one. That morning, they both carried the engagement wristbands with them. Jigglypuff hid hers in her shawl, while Meta Knight hid his in his cape. Both hoped they would be able to propose soon.

After supper, they both felt as though another unsuccessful day passed, but they were both wrong. As they held hands all the way to the bedroom, a twist of events caused their lives to change forever.

"So, we'll be watching television then?" Jigglypuff asked Meta Knight as she opened the door.

"Yes. Perhaps another movie is on at the moment?"

"I'll go check after I lock this door." Jigglypuff said. In the process, her engagement wristband she bought fell out of her shawl onto the ground in front of Meta Knight.

While she was busy trying to lock the door, Meta Knight picked up the engagement wristband. "Jigglypuff, what is this?"

Jigglypuff turned around and saw what Meta Knight was holding. Her face went scarlet and she looked at the ground in humiliation. "It's…for you."

In response to that, Meta Knight took out the engagement wristband from his cape and bowed down to Jigglypuff, now knowing the time was right. "Jigglypuff, in the past few months, we have become deeply devoted to each other. Through trials and experiences, our hearts become one. For as long as we live and for the future, will…you marry me?"

Jigglypuff's eyes watered in joy. "Yes," she replied in a soft whisper. If she spoke any louder, she would burst into happy tears. She hugged Meta Knight lovingly. "I'll be more than happy to be with you…"

They both exchanged wristbands and put them on. Meta Knight took off his mask to kiss her. During the kiss, he felt tears form in his eyes, which never really happened to him before. Then again, he never felt emotions this overwhelming either. For the first time ever in his entire life, happy tears ran down his cheeks. It was the first time he ever allowed himself to cry. Normally, he would usually scold himself for being, in his opinion, "childish," but this situation was an exception. Jigglypuff was crying out of joy as well. By the time she stopped, she wiped the tears from Meta Knight's cheeks. He smiled, though his eyes were still watery.

From this moment on, they were engaged to be marriage partners.

--

The Aftermath-

Meta Knight and Jigglypuff had been married for nine months now. They had decided on an April wedding; during Spring. The Smashers were shocked at first at the news, but some suspected this. (Yes Snake, I'm looking at you!) They departed for their honeymoon a couple days after the wedding.

Three months after their honeymoon, Jigglypuff gave birth to their first child, a girl; they named Lena, who resembled unique traits from both parents. Meta Knight and Jigglypuff were responsible parents and marriage partners in their entire lifetime. They had a total of nine children. Through the years, Kirby became more important to them. Soon after, Meta Knight and Jigglypuff adopted him. Kirby lived a happy life with their children.

Meta Knight hardly ever wore his mask once he became a father. He was no longer self-conscious about his face.

Though they lived in happiness, both would never forget the hardships they endured. Meta Knight and Jigglypuff's love always remained strong and enduring. For as long as they lived, they vowed that their hearts would always be one. They even took a moment each year to remember and honour the trials that helped develop them to what they were.

Those memories of trials and happiness would last forever.


End file.
